Thoughts of Japanese snacks may evoke images of multicolored Pocky sticks and matcha-flavored Kit Kats lining Asian supermarket shelves. But what about a white chocolate-raspberry rye cookie, or a fluffy mango chiffon cake? Or airy puffs of shrimp-flavored or soybean powder-coated toasted mochi that crunch, then all but melt in your mouth?
Such are the treats you might find in a Bokksu, a subscription snack box filled with gourmet offerings sourced straight from Japan. Forgoing mass-produced, mainstream options, Bokksu works with local, artisanal snack makers from Okinawa to Hokkaido to curate monthly assortments of authentic Japanese snacks.
Some are delicacies steeped in tradition, like a red bean jelly from a family-run Kyoto producer with a history of nearly 500 years, or a traditional Okinawan shortbread cookie made with a brown sugar exclusive to a handful of its islands.
Others lean contemporary; a freeze-dried strawberry infused with white chocolate, the first of its kind, is an innovation equal parts intriguing and delicious.
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Boxes are available in two sizes: Classic Bokksu ($39/month), which comes with 20 to 25 sweet and savory snacks, and Tasting Bokksu ($19/month), with 8 to 10. Each box includes a tea pairing and a tasting guide, and is curated around a cultural theme.
The theme for May, “All Stars Bokksu,” will feature a collection of Bokksu’s most popular selections in celebration of its two-year anniversary. May 5 is the last day to order. The company ships to 100 countries worldwide. Bokksu.com
May's "All Stars Bokksu" box. Courtesy of Bokksu
